[kenrexford]

The Bidding Problem

♠AK9x ♥AKxx ♦--- ♣AQ9xx

Dealer, natural system. Even the first bid sucks.
Suppose you start low -- 1♣. The auction is then as follows:

1♣-P-1♦-2♦(explained as natural)-?

Suppose that you make a "High ODR" double (your agreement, but maybe wrong on this hand). The auction will continue:

1♣-P-1♦-2♦-
X-2♥-P-P-?

This was our start. Something mystical happened, and I ended up Declaring 4♠ (opponents passed from here forward).

The Play at Four Spades

You get a small club lead and see Dummy:

Scoring: MP

---

What the Heck is going on here? Any ideas for a line that has the best chance of success? I think that a counter-intuitive line gives the best hope. As a clue of what I am thinking, the story when it works is sublime.

The Play at Five Clubs

Now, having worked out the play at 4♠, what is the winning line at 5♣, and what is the counter-intuitive move that this contract requires to avoid a surprising down one?

[hrothgar]

The 1♣ opening lots perfect normal
The 1♦ advance is reasonable
The takeout double over 2♦ is fine assuming that you have that agreement.

I also understand your decision not to post the rest of the auction. (I'd be ashamed as well). Is there a reason that you didn't hit 2♥ and keep hitting them where ever the might roam? Sure, you're red and their white. However, how many tricks do you think their going to be able to take?

[kenrexford]

hrothgar, on Aug 4 2007, 06:01 PM, said:

I also understand your decision not to post the rest of the auction. (I'd be ashamed as well). Is there a reason that you didn't hit 2♥ and keep hitting them where ever the might roam? Sure, you're red and their white. However, how many tricks do you think their going to be able to take?

It was truly sick. I have no excuse for what happened next, for my part or for that of my partner. We did win the event, somehow, so we normally did some things that more resembled sanity.

That being said, some of the greatest play-of-the-hand problems arise from insane contracts played well. LOL

Oh -- and as a further clue. 2♥ does not get hammered into oblivion, actually. In fact, it would be a rather poor score for us. So, not doubling was the best move here, as it turned out...

[jdonn]

kenrexford, on Aug 4 2007, 06:23 PM, said:

hrothgar, on Aug 4 2007, 06:01 PM, said:

I also understand your decision not to post the rest of the auction.  (I'd be ashamed as well).  Is there a reason that you didn't hit 2♥ and keep hitting them where ever the might roam?  Sure, you're red and their white.  However, how many tricks do you think their going to be able to take?

It was truly sick. I have no excuse for what happened next, for my part or for that of my partner. We did win the event, somehow, so we normally did some things that more resembled sanity.

That being said, some of the greatest play-of-the-hand problems arise from insane contracts played well. LOL

Oh -- and as a further clue. 2♥ does not get hammered into oblivion, actually. In fact, it would be a rather poor score for us. So, not doubling was the best move here, as it turned out...

Well I doubt your partner would sit for the double after you have made a takeout double of diamonds, surely implying 4+ clubs. It seems like he would pull to 3♣.

Not that I have any clue how 4♠ could be reached I'm just going to throw a guess out there, what the hey.

1♣ P 1♦ 2♦
DBL 2♥ P P
2♠ P 3♣ P
3♥ P 3♠ P
4♠
With 3♠ being intended as trying to get partner to declare 3NT and protect his major suits. How did I do? (terribly I assume)

[kenrexford]

jdonn, on Aug 4 2007, 06:29 PM, said:

Not that I have any clue how 4♠ could be reached

Y'all just won't let me get away with this one, will you? LOL

OK! I admit it! I jumped to 4♠ as my next call. I have my reasons. They are sick, but I had them. There! No play this hand, like I had to. ROTFLOL

[kenrexford]

Not so many takers. Oh well. Here's the analysis anyway...

In 4♠:

The lead is weird. You expected a diamond lead, but got a club. This screams stiff. With a stiff diamond as well, the diamond lead is stand-out. The correction to hearts over diamonds suggests, then, a doubleton diamond and long majors. With both majors, equal, you'd expect a XX, so you expect a LHO pattern of 4621. With that pattern, white on red, you'd expect a 2♥ overcall, unless LHO has absolute junk. So, LHO rates to have something like ♠xxxx ♥QJxxxx ♦xx ♣x, giving RHO ♠QJx ♥x ♦AQJxxx ♣Kxx.

The goal seems to be, therefore, to make 4♠ by taking four clubs, two hearts, one diamond, and three spades. Weird combo, you ask?

One line is to play spade-spade-spade, with RHO in. He will probably then give LHO a club ruff and get a diamond back. That kills your chances. What you need is for LHO, when in, to not lead a diamond. How to do this???

It seems like the best chance is to get LHO to commit immediately. When you pop club Jack, it turns out in practice that this is covered. So, you win and fire back the club Queen at trick two.

If LHO expects you to be void in diamonds, with something like 5305 (what you should have, perhaps), he may get greedy (hoping for a heart from partner). In any event, a heart back at trick 3 looks more likely than in the late game.

If you get that, you win and play spade-spade-spade, throwing RHO in (you now have the boss spade). He will not have no hearts left, and no spades. He will desperately try a club back, won in dummy. You now play the diamond 10, which RHO wins. He's now down to all diamonds. If he plays the Ace, you ruff, cross to dummy, cash the diamond King, cross back with the second heart, and claim. If he plays small back, you let it ride.

Back up a tad. If RHO ducks the diamond 10 (good play), let it ride and pray.

Back up even further. You may very well make five on this silly hand. RHO, if he sees what is coming, may jettison the Q-J of spades under the A-K, hoping that his partner has the 9. You then pull the last trumps from the opponents, club to dummy, and run the diamond 10 again.

Neat hand, eh?

==========================

The trick at 5♣ is to not try to cash a second high heart. There is a line of opening leads and follow-ups where Declarer may need to play a small heart, giving LHO an unexpected heart trick, to avoid losing control.